CHARLIE'S POV
I have two words for you guys. Periods suck. I may be overreacting, but I feel like I'm dying. It feels like I'm being stabbed in the stomach. I don't know if I should be concerned that I'm not even bleeding even though I'm supposed to be on it because last I checked, it was supposed to start today. As of now, I'm not going to be concerned. Although, who knew that I should've been concerned in the beginning.
What really is icing on the cake is that I leave in two days to go to LA and I never started packing so that's just lovely.
"Charlie, it's almost lunch time. You need to get out of bed." Dallas barged into my room, turning on my light and opening the blinds of my window.
"Dally, close them! I still want to sleep!" I whined as I hid under the blanket.
"Since when did you become a vampire?" Dallas asked as she tried to take the blanket off of me, but I fought against. She won the fight.
"Just ask Maddie what day it is and you'll find out." I spoke in a harsh tone, which I never intended to.
"Maddie!" Dallas yelled as I pulled the blanket over me again.
"Yes?" Maddie asked, peeking her head in the doorway.
"What day is it?" Dallas questioned Maddie.
"The day Charlie's period starts." Maddie stated simply.
"I knew I was forgetting something!" Dallas exclaimed as she ran her fingers through her hair. "I told Mom and Dad I would get more pads and pain killers."
"Where are they anyway?" I asked.
"They went out of town to run errands." Maddie replied.
"What's going on in here?" I heard Demi's voice enter my room. Did someone schedule a party in my room and I never knew about it? One good thing about being on my period, if it even is my period, is that I can possibly get out of eating.
"Dem Dem, it hurts." I cried out.
"What hurts, baby girl?" Demi asked gently as she came over and sat on the edge of my bed.
"Her period started today." Maddie said as she was standing in the doorway.
"I see." Demi looked like she was deep in thought. "Are you cramping?" She questioned. I nodded in response. Little did I know that I wasn't cramping. "Migraine?" I shook my head no.
"Make it stop hurting, Dem Dem." I whimpered.
"Aww, come here." Demi cooed as she picked me up and carried me like a kid. "We'll be in my room for a bit." Demi told Maddie and Dallas.
"Can we make it dark?" I mumbled as we entered her room and she put me down on her bed.
"This better?" Demi asked as she shut the lights off and closed the blinds.
"Thank you." I smiled as I pulled her thick, comfy blanket over me.
"How does Mom usually deal with this?" Demi questioned as she laid down next to me.
"She usually massages my stomach, watch movies with me, and we cuddle all day. I occasionally take a relaxing bath." I answered honestly.
"Time to play the part of Mom for the day." Demi said. We then heard screams and laughter from downstairs.
"Maddie! If you scare me one more time, I am going to bedazzle everything in your room!" Dallas threatened Maddie downstairs.
"You wouldn't!" Maddie yelled back.
"Let's not forget that I bedazzled Demi and Wilmer'a condoms!" Dallas' laughter filled the house.
"This is why I'm playing the part of Mom for the day. I'm the only mature one." Demi joked. I cuddled into her side as she began to gently massage my stomach.
"Thank you.." I whispered as she continued to massage my stomach.
"It's not a problem, baby girl." Demi told me. "How about you pick a movie to watch?" She suggested as she handed me her TV remote. I smiled as I scrolled through the different movies.
"There we go." I smiled, feeling satisfied with my movie choice.
"Camp Rock. Really?" Demi asked, looking at me and raising an eyebrow. I nodded and giggled.
"Hey, Dems?" I paused the movie as I looked up at her.
"Yes?" She questioned.
"Do you think you could grab my notebook with all my songs from my closest?" I asked her.
"Of course." Demi smiled before leaving the room.
"Grab my guitar too!" I shouted. Demi came back seconds later with my guitar and notebook. I grabbed the notebook, looking at each song. "I can't decide which one to play."
"You're going to play one?" Demi asked. "I thought you didn't let anyone look at your songs."
"You're an exception." I smiled a small smile. "Wanna look through them?" I questioned, handing over the notebook to her. Demi smiled and nodded as she began to look through it.
"You should play this one." Demi pointed to a song as she handed me back the notebook. It was a song I wrote as soon as I started getting bullied. I smiled nervously. Demi is a professional singer and I'm just an amateur. I cleared my throat before I grabbed my guitar.
"I may not be very good.." I smiled sheepishly.
"You'll be great." Demi reassured me. I sighed and began strumming away on my guitar.
Put your make-up on
Get your nails done
Curl your hair
Run the extra mile
Keep it slim so they like you,
do they like you?
Get your sexy on
Don't be shy, girl
Take it off
This is what you want, to belong,
so they like you
Do you like you?
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try
Mm-mm, mm-mm, mm
Get your shopping on, at the mall,
max your credit cards
You don't have to choose, buy it all,
so they like you
Do they like you?
Wait a second
Why, should you care,
what they think of you?
When you're all alone, by yourself,
do you like you?
Do you like you?
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to bend until you break
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
No, you don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try
Mm-mm, mm-mm, mm
You don't have to try so hard
You don't have to, give it all away
You just have to get up, get up, get up, get up
You don't have to change a single thing
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try, try, try, try
You don't have to try
You don't have to try
Take your make-up off
Let your hair down
Take a breath
Look into the mirror, at yourself
Don't you like you?
'Cause I like you
"That was fucking amazing!" Demi squealed. She grabbed the notebook, looking at the song again. "When did you write this?"
"About four years ago." I answered. "As soon as the bullying started.." I whispered, tears blurring my vision.
"Come here.." Demi spoke quietly as she opened her arms for a hug. I gratefully went into her embrace and she moved some hair out of my face.
"What did I do to them, Demi?" I whimpered.
"You did nothing wrong, baby girl." She spoke in a soothing voice. "They're just people who have nothing better to do and love to hurt others."
"Even if they're your Lovatics?"
"They're not really Lovatics if they bully my baby sister or anyone in my family." Demi told me as she wiped away a few of my tears.
"CHARLIE! DEMI!" Dallas shouted as she ran into Demi's room, holding a bunch of bags.
"What is all of that?" Demi questioned Dallas.
"Okay, I didn't know what kind of pads you like because Mom didn't specify." Dallas started saying as she emptied one of the bags, which had a bunch of different pads.
"We're going to have enough pads for our great grandchildren!" I laughed.
"Shush!" Dallas exclaimed. "Also a bunch of different chocolates." She emptied another bag.
"Remember that I don't eat chocolate?" I reminded her.
"Well, mine now." Dallas smiled. "Then pain killers and some hibiscus tea." She pulled out pills specified for menstrual pain and the pack of tea.
"Yes!" I exclaimed as I hugged the pack of tea. Hibiscus tea is the only liquid I'll drink if we don't have water.
"Dallas, did you ever check what ingredients are in the pills?" Demi interrogated Dallas.
"No, why?" Dallas asked, going to Demi's side of the bed.
"It has acetaminophen and pyrilamine maleate, which isn't bad." Demi stated, pointing at the back of where it shows the ingredients. "But there's also caffeine as an ingredient! You know how she is on caffeine." Demi told Dallas. I'm not one of those people who get hyper off of caffeine, it's more so that I can't get any sleep.
"I'll be fine, Dems." I reassured her, taking the pack of pills from her and opening it. I grabbed Demi's water off from her bedside table and took a pill.
"Remember what happened last time?" Demi asked as she looked over at me.
"I was nine!" I exclaimed.
"You and I stayed up till 6:00 AM and I had to be at the studio at 9:00 AM!" Demi laughed.
"Not my fault you stayed up with me. You could've said no to letting me try sleeping in your room." I stated. My stomach suddenly began hurting more than earlier, causing me to wince in pain.
"Charlie, are you okay?" Dallas asked, concern lacing her voice. I shook my head no, not being able to form a sentence.
"I.. I'm going to use the bathroom." I told her once I was able to form a sentence. I stood up on shaky legs and walked towards the bathroom. I shut the door and sat myself down on the floor in front of the bathtub as the pain became worse. I cried out in pain as I curled up and clutched my stomach. I was sweating, but it wasn't the warm sweat. It was more so cold sweat if that's possible.
"Charlie!" Demi's voice yelled through the other side of the door. I didn't answer as I was sobbing. Why does it hurt this much? "Oh my God! Dallas!" Demi exclaimed as she opened my bathroom door and immediately knelt down in front of me.
"What's happening?!" Dallas questioned, running into the bathroom.
"I-It hurts!" I screamed as I was shaking. "M-Make it stop!"
"Shh, it's okay." Demi tried reassuring me, her voice sounded shaky. It sounded like she was trying to reassure herself as well. She moved some hair away from my face. "We should get her to the hospital." Demi told Dallas as she gently picked me up.
"Okay, yeah." Dallas had a look of sheer panic on her face. "I'll drive." She stated as she ran downstairs, Demi following her with me in her arms.
"Maddie! Meet us in the car, it's an emergency!" Demi shouted, sliding on a pair of her Gucci sliders before helping me put on a pair of my Vans. "Call Mom on your phone too!"
"What the fuck is happening?" Maddie asked as she pulled her phone out of her pocket.
"We don't exactly know, but we do have to go." Dallas said before we all exited out the front door and into the car. Maddie sat in the passenger seat while Dallas drove and Demi decided to sit in the back with me.
"Dem Dem, it hurts.." I whimpered out. The pain died down, but not much.
"It's okay, we're almost there. You're okay." Demi played with my hair in a comforting way as I laid my head on her lap. "Maddie, did you call Mama yet?"
"Almost, do I put it on speaker or Bluetooth?" Maddie questioned.
"Bluetooth." Dallas and Demi said at the same time.
"Maddie, if you're calling again about getting Taco Bell on our way home-" Mom started talking before Demi interrupted her.
"Mama, meet us at the hospital." Demi told her.
"Why? What's wrong? Who's hurt? Who's sick?" Mom immediately questioned.
"It's Charlie. She's complaining about her stomach, and we don't think it's just period cramps." Dallas explained.
"M-Mommy!" I cried out in pain as it started to hurt more again. "I-I need you!"
"You're going to be okay, baby girl. Dad and I will meet you there." Mom spoke in a soothing voice. We then arrived at the hospital and parked.
"We arrived at the hospital, we gotta go." Maddie quickly spoke before hanging up the phone.
Demi's POV
I quickly picked up Charlie in my arms and we ran into the hospital.
"We need help!" Dallas shouted. One of the nurses came running over with a wheelchair and I was able to put Charlie in it.
"What's wrong, sweetie?" The nurse tried asking Charlie, but she couldn't form a proper sentence.
"Something is wrong with her stomach." Dallas stated. "We thought it was just period cramps, but it doesn't seem like that now."
"Can you point to where it hurts?" The nurse questioned in a sweet voice. Why is she asking so many questions? We just need to get her back there.
"I-It hurts around there.." Charlie whimpered, pointing to the lower right side of her stomach.
"We'll get you back right away." The nurse, whose name was Emily, told her. "You guys will have to wait out here." Emily frowned. Charlie looked at me with panic in her eyes.
"Breathe, Charlie." I knelt down in front of her as she took a deep breath in. "You're going to be okay. Don't worry, baby girl. Whatever happens, we're going to be here. Okay?"
"Okay.." Charlie mumbled as she quickly hugged me and I hugged her back. As soon as she let go, the nurse took her back. I sat down in one of the chairs next to Dallas and Maddie as we waited for our parents to arrive.
"Where is she?!" Mom's voice entered the hospital building. Dallas looked over at Mom and waved her over.
"They took her back a couple minutes ago. We can't go back there right now." Dallas told her. We then heard a scream which scarily sounded like Charlie's. Emily, who's the nurse, came running into the waiting room.
"We need one of you guys to help back there." Emily panted.
"I'll go help." I told everyone as I picked up my purse. I followed Emily back to the room Charlie was in.
"We can't get her to take off her hoodie for some x-rays." Emily told me.
"Can you give us a moment alone real quick?" I asked Emily. She nodded before leaving the room.
"Dems.. I can't take it off. I can't show my cuts." Charlie spoke quietly.
"I know, that's why I came back here." I said as I opened my purse and pulled out some makeup. "You're lucky I carry around makeup."
"T-Thank you.." She whispered after taking off her hoodie. I then began to cover up the cuts on her arms.
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked her as I finished covering up her arms. She nodded and I gave her a hug. "I'll be in the waiting room with everyone else. Okay?" She nodded again. I left the room and walked down the hallway to the waiting room.
"Why did she need one of us?" Mom asked instantly.
"She just got nervous, so I went to calm her down." I lied. It hurts lying to them, but I'm not breaking Charlie's promise. I will have to break that promise someday soon though. We all sat in the waiting room, all of us were nervous.
"Family of Charlotte De La Garza?" Nurse Emily walked out. We all stood up immediately and went over to her. "It's a good thing you brought her in when you did." She told us.
"Is she going to be okay?" Eddie questioned.
"Yes, she's going to be okay. Charlotte is actually in surgery right now." Emily stated calmly.
"Surgery?" Mom asked shocked. "And you didn't let us see her beforehand?!"
"She has to get her appendix removed so we had to get her back there as soon as we could, Mrs. De La Garza." Emily spoke still in a calm tone. "Otherwise, we would've let you guys see her."
"When will she get out of surgery?" Dallas asked on behalf of all of us.
"She'll be out after an hour or so." Emily replied. "Any other questions?"
"Yes, actually. Charlie and I were planning on flying somewhere in two days, would we have to reschedule that?" I questioned.
"It's best if you wait five to seven days before she gets on a plane." Emily answered.
"Okay, thank you." I smiled at her before she walked away.
"Now we wait." Mom sighed as she sat down. I sat down next to her and opened up Twitter on my phone.
@ddlovato: My baby sister, @thecharliedelagarza, is in surgery right now. Praying for the best 🙏🏻💖